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‘Butterflies of Tennessee’ book now available

Maywood Publishing has published the first book exclusively about the butterflies found in Tennessee.

“Butterflies of Tennessee” is an easy-to-use field and garden handbook with full-color photos of eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises and adult butterflies.

Included for each species are color keys for both adult butterflies and butterfly caterpillars, as well as tips on butterfly watching and butterfly gardening, habitat descriptions, range maps, flight periods and “fun facts.”

Author and Tennessee resident Rita Venable is the former editor of “Butterfly Gardener.” She has published numerous articles and photographs in literary publications, newspapers and magazines, including “American Butterflies” and

“American Gardener.” She has won excellence In craft awards in writing and photography from the Tennessee Outdoor Writers Association and Southeastern Outdoor Press Association in multiple years and was an artist-in-residence in creative writing with the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Venable also served as an assistant biologist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation conducting biological surveys in state parks and natural areas with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory program.

“This book was written for people of all ages from kids to seniors,” said Venable. “A lot of well-known naturalists across our state had input into this book to make it both accurate and user-friendly.”